Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Hot on Facebook

'Serpent Pastor' Dies of Snake Bite Mack Wolford believed faith compelled him to face the risk »

US Still Lacks Translators in Vital Languages

Intelligence, military officials often unable to read texts, emails

By Kevin Spak, Newser Staff

Posted Aug 31, 2009 2:03 PM CDT

(Newser) – Nearly eight years have passed since 9/11, but national security agencies remain disturbingly low on translators for crucial dialects, the Washington Times reports. In Afghanistan and Pakistan, al-Qaeda and Taliban operatives email and text-message each other freely in languages the CIA largely ignored before 2001.... Read full story »

COMMENTS

Read the comment policy

You need to Log in to Newser to comment. Don't have an account yet? Sign up now!

8 comments

A snapshot of the day's best news stories.

View Larger Grid

All Today Yesterday Pick a Date

What's Popular Now on Facebook

'Serpent Pastor' Dies of Snake Bite

Miami Face-Eater Identified

Washington Times (Source Grid »)

Politics • US • World

Iraq • Afghanistan • national security • War on Terror • CIA • Pakistan • Pashtun • translation • Arabic • Urdu • intelligence agencies • Dari • translator

More Newser Stories

US Lets Allies Detain, Grill Terror Suspects

Program could lead to prisoner abuse, bad intel, critics say

(NEWSER) - The Obama administration is stepping up its reliance on foreign allies to capture, interrogate, and detain mid-level terror suspects seized outside of Iraq and Afghanistan, the New York Times reports. In the last 10 months, Middle Eastern governments have handled the cases of about six al-Qaeda operatives. “It’s the preferred method now,” said a former official, but some activists are worried. More»

Ex-CIA Exec Gets 37 Months for Peddling Contracts

(NEWSER) - A former CIA official who steered contracts toward a friend in the days after Sept. 11, 2001, was sentenced today to 37 months in prison, the Washington Post reports. Kyle Foggo was, at the time, the CIA’s executive director, the agency’s third-highest position. In exchange for lavish dinners and vacations, Foggo arranged lucrative contracts, including one in which the agency overpaid by 60% for water overseas. More»

Missile Strikes Are Learning Tool: CIA

Chief says agency 'tickles' terrorist enemy to gauge reaction

(NEWSER) - The CIA purposely uses missile strikes to "tickle" enemy groups, often by targeting a single person, to learn from their responses, agency chief Michael Hayden said today. Hayden also told a gathering of Air Force members the CIA has "picked up insights" from working alongside the military, the AP reports. The agency often uses military weaponry, like unmanned aircraft, in missions along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

US Still Lacks Translators in Vital Languages

Intelligence, military officials often unable to read texts, emails

Iraq • Afghanistan • national security • War on Terror • CIA • Pakistan • Pashtun • translation • Arabic • Urdu • intelligence agencies • Dari • translator

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

US Lets Allies Detain, Grill Terror Suspects

Program could lead to prisoner abuse, bad intel, critics say

Ex-CIA Exec Gets 37 Months for Peddling Contracts

Missile Strikes Are Learning Tool: CIA

Chief says agency 'tickles' terrorist enemy to gauge reaction

About Us

Site

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?